Drake DuPont of Loyalsock throws in the second inning to Hughesville in Loyalsock Friday afternoon. Loyalsock won 9-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mike Frederick did not become Loyalsock’s new baseball coach until shortly before this season started. Still, he had plenty of familiarity with many since he coached nearly every sophomore and freshmen at some point at the youth level the past few years.

The seniors and juniors was a different story. But Frederick has fit like a glove thus far and those older players have embraced both he and the staff’s philosophies.

Yes, the season is only a few weeks old but Loyalsock is trending in the right direction and all are on the same page. That has been reflected on the field with Loyalsock (3-2) winning three of its last four games and defeating Hughesville, 9-1 last Friday.

The future looks promising but all Frederick and the players care about is making 2026 the best season possible.

“I want success for them so bad it’s crazy, especially for that senior class,” Frederick said. “When we had success in Little League that’s one thing and it’s fun, but doing it at the high school level and chasing it down with your brothers is just different.”

Frederick knows that first-hand having been an assistant on some super Loyalsock high school teams which captured state and district championships. He knows as well as anyone that a team will struggle to win if it’s not connected. This one appears to be so, seniors inviting freshmen to Buffalo Wild Wings following the Hughesville win driving it home.

It’s not about seniors or freshmen; experienced or rookie. They’re all Lancers are all are working toward the same goals.

“We have six seniors that have really bought in,” Frederick said. “For young people to get pushed by them and supported by them is a big deal.”

It’s paid big dividends since a season-opening loss at Midd-West. Undefeated Southern Columbia is the only team which has beaten Loyalsock since then and the Lancers responded by playing their best game this season against Hughesville.

There, every starter reached base, seven produced hits, the defense made no errors and Drake Dupont and Parker Frederick combined on a six-hitter. The challenges are many and Loyalsock plays a tough schedule which continues today at Warrior Run.

Still, a team which had a lot of question marks and just as many holes to plug entering the season has made rapid progress.

“One thing I was concerned about coming in was the buy-in. If we don’t have immediate success, do we still have buy in?” Frederick said. “I literally can’t complain about one thing about them playing up to the kind of standard we outlined. It really started in the fall, but now that we’re in charge of this thing we’re really seeing it.”

Four starters are hitting .400 or higher, Dupont is 2-0 on the mound and Frederick shined in his first start against previously undefeated Bloomsburg. It’s not one player carrying the load, but all doing so equally.

The coaches believe in all the players and, equally important, the players want to be coached. The younger ones are eager to show what they can do and the older ones just as motivated to reach the playoffs after two near-misses the past two seasons.

Those younger Lancers likely will get more opportunities the next few years. This is it for the seniors. So, all are working equally hard toward making this opportunity count.

“Sometimes we feel like we have to believe. I want the seniors to feel like they’re a part of this eventual turnaround,” Frederick said. “I want them to believe that they’re pretty good, too. They might not have had the success they wanted to, but they can play.”

STEPPING UP

Whatever production St. John Neumann seniors Jahki Brister, Nahmir Thomas and Connor Haswell provide this year is a bonus. Regardless, they are among the team’s MVPs.

Because without them, Neumann likely would not have a team.

Numbers often are a problem at such a small school, but those three seniors agreed to help their friends and play baseball for the first time. Doing so enabled a team which reached last year’s District 4 Class A championship to keep on playing. And, while the Knights are 1-5, there is a strong, young core there, so simply gaining more experience this year is a massive plus and what the seniors did for this team will carry on beyond this season.

Brister,Thomas and Haswell have produced as well. Each has either a hit, RBI and/or run. They have meshed well with their teammates and Neumann still has playoff ambitions this season. Clark Bower continues raking and is hitting .667 with six RBIs, while Avery Taddeo, Kane Meixel and Maverick Dunkleberger all are at .300 or higher.

EXTRA BASES

Marc Molina hit a go-ahead ninth inning single and Andrew Walter and Kamdyn Bubb shined on the mound, helping South Williamsport win a 2-1, nine-inning thriller against Hanover. Molina drove in both runs and Walter threw four scoreless innings before Bubb earned the win in relief, striking out four in five innings … Jersey Shore came back strong following a rough performance at Warrior Run, defeating Selinsgrove, 6-3. Nolen Pauling improved to 3-0 on the mound and Carter Rhinehart and Mason Winter each had two hits. Winter added three RBIs for the Bulldogs (5-3) … Bucktail freshman Angelo Tarantella threw 6 1/3 terrific innings of four-hit baseball against Neumann, striking out seven and helping the Bucks win, 7-4. He helped his cause with two hits and two RBIs, with fellow freshman Levi Stevenson producing the same stat line … Wellsboro (4-1) snapped defending District 4 Class A champion Cowanesque Valley’s seven-game winning streak Saturday, rallying from three down to win, 7-5. Marek Mascho and Gage Baltzey combined on a six-hitter and both had two hits, along with doubles. Wellsboro has won three straight games and scored at least seven runs in all five contests. CV ran its win streak to seven after blanking Wyalusing, 14-0 as Ayren Morgan went 2 for 3 with five RBIs. Gavin Churchill and Cam Stahli combined on the shutout, striking out 13 … Lewisburg scored 25 runs in consecutive wins against Milton and Danville. Lincoln Ayres had five hits in the victories and Colin Shannon earned the win at Danville, also going 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs … Andy Hermansen and Ryder Breon combined on a two-hit shutout in North Penn-Mansfield’s 10-0 win against Sayre, striking out 10. Breon also had two hits and two RBIs as did Collin Oakes … Tucker Blasi had a big day in Sullivan County’s 13-9 win against Canton, going 4 for 4 with a triple before homering in the team’s next game against Millville.

Dr. Masse’s top 5 rankings

1. Montoursville (4-1): After a long wait, Montoursville finally has gotten into a bit of a rhythm, playing three times last week and winning all three. A 4-1 win against previously undefeated Mifflinburg highlighted that stretch which also included mercy-rule wins against Lewisburg and Milton. The Warriors are hoping to make their home field debut today when they host Danville in a rematch of the last two District 4 Class AAAA championships. Production has come throughout the order thus far and Jonah Heddings, Zack Neill, Elijah Eck, Carson Menne, Kane Moore, Logan Kirby and Brody Aldenderfer all had multi-hit performances last week. Menne’s outstanding defense in right field also played a vital role in the Mifflinburg win.

2. Central Mountain (4-1): Central Mountain is excelling under pressure, winning three one-run games last week, including comeback victories against Shikellamy and State College. The Wildcats have won four consecutive games, all by three runs or fewer and Aiden Jones and Darius Shade formed a strong pitching duo in a 5-4 win against Selinsgrove. Jones allowed just two hits in six innings in his first varsity start, striking out six, while Shade earned his second save, fanning two in the seventh inning.

3. Williamsport (5-1): After scoring 28 runs in wins against Shikellamy and Shamokin, Williamsport showcased its pitching Saturday as Trey Damschroder and Cole Deitrick combined on a five-hitter in a 4-2 win against four-time defending District 11 AAAAAA champion Liberty. Deitrick was one of three players who homered the previous day at Shamokin, joining Deshaun White and Luke Naughton. White also homered at Shikellamy, adding a a double and five RBIs. Naughton scored five times and doubled twice. Deitrick went 3 for 3 at Shamokin and Zane Rogers was 2 for 3 with four RBIs and thre runs. Williamsport hits the road for three of its next four games but hosts Jersey Shore Wednesday under the lights at Millionaire Mountain. Williamsport has won three straight games and is a game behind Central Mountain in the HAC-I, heading there next Monday.

4. Warrior Run (6-2): Down the projected staff ace who could make a massive impact, Warrior Run still is thriving on the mound and showcased its pitching depth in four straight wins against Hughesville, Jersey Shore, Mifflinburg and Shamokin. James Keifer went 2-0, throwing two complete games, allowing just six hits 10 innings and striking out 10. Griff Harrington and Landon Tillson scattered three hits in a 12-1 win against Jersey Shore and Cohen Zechman earned the win, being one of four pitchers who combined on a one-hitter against Shamokin. The Defenders stayed in the hunt for a HAC-III title with a 3-1 win against Mifflinburg, staying within a game of first place Southern Columbia.

5. Montgomery (5-1): Even the oldest Montgomery players were not yet in school the last time the Red Raiders had beaten South Williamsport. So, last Monday’s 3-0 win against South Williamsport certainly felt good, although the Raiders understand bigger goals are out there. Briar Persing and Parker Bennett combined on a three-hit shutout and Parker Persing hit a clutch RBI single to break a scoreless tie. That win sparked Montgomery to a 3-0 week as routs of St. John Neumann and Sugar Valley followed. Whoever the opponent, coach Tim Persing wants his team’s focus on one specific item.

“I try to tell all the kids you’re playing the game, not the team. That’s the way you have to keep it,” he said following the South win. “You have to come out and do the same things no matter who you’re playing and play the same way and things will take care of themselves.”

Players of the Week

Logan Kirby, Montoursville and Drake Dupont, Loyalsock: Kirby did damage with his arm and bat over a three-day span last week. First, he threw 5 2/3 brilliant innings against Mifflinburg, striking out nine and walking none in a 4-1 victory. Next, Kirby went off at Milton, slugging a home run and two doubles, while going 3 for 3 with four RBIs. Kirby also doubled at Lewisburg, giving him four extra-base hits last week. Dupont was another double threat last week, shutting down Hughesville with five innings of two-hit pitching in Loyalsock’s victory. Dupont collected two multi-hit games, going 4 for 7. He is hitting .533 thus far, while starting 2-0 with a 0.88 ERA.

Game of the Week

Montgomery at Montoursville: Saturday is a showdown between 2025 state qualifiers as Montgomery tries making a statement against last year’s 4A finalist. Montgomery has played Montoursville tough the last two times they have played, although the Warriors won both times, including last year. Big picture, this game helps Montgomery a lot going forward and is a fun area battle between two teams who have 43 straight playoff appearances between them.

–Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse